A Legacy up and coming?
With lots of movement this offseason, fans will surely be watching this year’s NBA Tipoff on October 21st, when the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder faces off against the Houston Rockets. The Thunder are the team to watch this year, as they are coming off their first franchise championship and a historical season from NBA MVP, Shai Gilgeous Alexander. Everyone will be wondering, however, was this luck, or are the OKC Thunder ready to cement themselves in NBA history by going back-to-back? Most people will say that the Thunder are in the perfect scenario right now, led by a 27-year-old MVP. That is not all the Thunder have, though, as their other weapon, Jalen Williams, just wrapped up his first All-Star season and averaged a career-high 21.5 points per game. The Thunder were the youngest team in the 2024-25 season and additionally carry 11 first-round picks over the next 5 years!
The Dallas Mavericks are another team that fans will be watching closely. The Mavericks might have made the most controversial trade of all time, and some will even call it the biggest news the NBA has ever had. Luka Dončić was the Mavs’ franchise player and their future. At only 26, Dončić was having MVP-caliber seasons, but the Mavs didn’t think it was enough. General Manager Nico Harrison traded Dončić on February 2nd of this year, and the world gave him lots of criticism, calls for firing, and even death threats. Now, people are beginning to say that there is one man who can change their thoughts of the past to that of the present, Cooper Flagg. The most highly anticipated prospect since LeBron James. At only 18 years old, Flagg is ready to bring the city what they deserve. On May 12th, the Mavs secured the number one pick in the 2025 NBA Draft with only a 1.8% chance to do so in the annual Draft Lottery. Safe to say the social media world blew up after this, with the most common question being: was the lottery rigged?
Prepare for change.
This NBA offseason was full of surprises, with Kevin Durant leaving the Phoenix Suns and the Houston Rockets after their early playoff exit via a trade. Houston, looking for a consistent scorer, now has Durant coming off a season averaging 26.6 points per game, making them a serious championship contender in the West. In the trade for Durant, the Suns received Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and big man Khaman Maluach all in exchange for Durant. The Suns also traded Bradley Beal to the Clippers and retained Devin Booker with a $145 million extension. Additionally, another big move was made when Damian Lillard returned to the Portland Trailblazers with Jrue Holiday and Anfernee Simons, giving the Blazers playoff hopes. Also the Boston Celtics had a big shakeup when they lost Jayson Tatum to injury and traded Kristaps Porzingis to Atlanta to deal with the luxury tax. Overall, this offseason has been full of big moves and shows how unpredictable the NBA can be.
As the new season begins, it could be the last for two NBA legends: Chris Paul and LeBron James. Chris Paul, known as the “Point God”, is one of the best point guards ever with 12 All-Star selections, 11 All-NBA honors, nine All-Defensive nods, Rookie of the Year, and two Olympic gold medals (though he has never won a championship). LeBron James, considered by many the greatest of all time, is a four-time NBA champion, 20x All-Star, 19x All-NBA player, and the league’s all-time leading scorer after passing the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 2023. Lebron also has two Olympic gold medals and remains the only player with over 40,000 points. While both Paul and Lebron may be nearing retirement, their impact and legacy on the game will never be forgotten.
Who’s got the odds?
With the NBA preseason coming up on October 2nd, bettors from all around the world are placing their money on who they think will be this year’s NBA champions. The Oklahoma City Thunder are currently the favorites to be the 2026 NBA champions, with the Denver Nuggets following close behind. Many people are also watching the Charlotte Hornets as well. Many NBA fans know that the Hornets are not the best team and currently have the worst odds to win the Finals this year, but that is what many want to see. People are asking:”How will the Hornets bounce back?” With LaMelo Ball as the face of the Hornets’franchise, he is currently entering his 6th season, and people say he is a bust and hasn’t lived up to the hype. Will the Charlotte Hornets pass the keys down to Brandon Miller, their co-star, or maybe even give the keys to one of their rookies, Kon Knueppel and Liam McNeely, who were on fire during summer league? All eyes are on the NBA this year to see how the league will change. Will we see a brand new dynasty, or will we see the same dominance from the teams of the past couple years? Also, how will these new rosters come together and compete for the NBA championship with the pressure to stop the league’s best?
